Sage Named Head Coach at Scranton

Toby Lovecchio, athletics director at The University of Scranton, announced today that Doug Sage has been named head men’s lacrosse coach. Sage becomes the seventh head coach in the program’s 26-year history.

Sage comes to Scranton after spending the past two seasons as the top assistant coach, recruiting coordinator and assistant strength and conditioning coach at Gettysburg College, a perennial power located in Gettysburg, Pa. The Bullets finished the 2012 season ranked 20th in the NCAA Division III rankings.

“I am grateful to the search committee for bringing an excellent group of coaching candidates to our campus,” Lovecchio said. “Our search process was very thorough and I am extremely pleased that Doug accepted our offer to lead our men's lacrosse program. He has a very clear understanding of our Catholic and Jesuit mission, is very committed to Division III men’s lacrosse and will be an excellent mentor and role model for our student-athletes.

“Doug has outstanding work ethic, is passionate and focused, and will work tirelessly in all aspects of coaching and managing a high quality men’s lacrosse program,” Lovecchio added. “His experience at strong academic institutions and highly successful lacrosse programs make him a perfect fit for our university and athletics department. I am confident Doug will continue to build our men’s lacrosse program into one of the premier programs in the Northeast.

“I look forward to a very exciting future with Coach Sage on our campus and in the Scranton community.”

During the past two years at Gettysburg, Sage has been responsible for coaching the defense, face-offs and man-down defense. Off the field, his responsibilities included travel arrangements, scouting opponents, practice planning, tracking student-athletes’ academics and overseeing the strength and conditioning programs. He was also the campus contact and board member of Friends of Gettysburg Lacrosse.

“I am excited to be named the new head coach at The University of Scranton, and I truly appreciate the faith that athletics director Toby Lovecchio has shown in me to lead the Royals men’s lacrosse program,” Sage said. “After visiting campus and talking with the University of Scranton's administrators, alumni, coaches and players, I got the feeling that Scranton is a special place. The school's commitment to excellence and strong sense of community are big reasons why I believe this opportunity is a great fit."

Sage spent three stints on the coaching staff at Gettysburg, the first in 2002 when he helped the Bullets go 17-2 and reach the NCAA Division III national title game while serving as offensive coordinator. After stepping away from the college game to serve as a high school athletics director for four years, he began his coaching career in earnest as the second assistant at Gettysburg in the fall of 2006, where he was also an intern in the sports information office. He helped the Bullets go 33-6 over two seasons, both ending in NCAA Tournament losses to top-ranked Salisbury. While working with the defense, Sage coached Centennial Conference Players of the Year in both 2007 (goalie Pat Vaughn) and 2008 (defenseman Andrew McGann).

When a chance to be the top assistant at Drew University came around, Sage jumped on it prior to the 2009 season. In one year in Madison, N.J., Sage served as recruiting coordinator and helped the Rangers go 9-8 and earn a spot in the Landmark Conference playoffs and the ECAC Metro/South tournament. On the field, he was in charge of the defense, face-offs, man-down defense, man-up offense and the substitution box. Off the field, he monitored student-athletes’ academics, planned practices, scouted opponents, prepared travel itineraries, fundraised for a spring break trip and supervised the strength and conditioning program.

Sage then took the same position at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., also one of the top Division III programs in the country. With the help of Sage’s guidance, the Ducks went 9-6 in 2010. He was in charge of game and practice planning, scouting reports and travel itineraries, as well on on-field duties that included coaching the offense, face-offs and man-up offense.

From Stevens, Sage returned to Gettysburg for the 2011 season and helped long-time head coach Hank Janczyk lead the Bullets to a 23-14 record over the past two years, including NCAA Tournament appearances both seasons. With Sage coaching the defense, Gettysburg knocked off Scranton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2011, pulling away in the second half for an 8-3 win. The Bullets also won a first-round game in the tournament in 2012.

“The coaches and players at Scranton have built a strong foundation with great potential,” Sage said, “and I believe that my experience along with my passion to coach college lacrosse will help to drive our program to the next level.”

Prior to his second stint at Gettysburg, Sage was the athletics director at Immaculate Heart Academy in Washington Township, N.J. from 2002 to 2006. He served as the girls lacrosse coach there in 2003 and also coached the boys lacrosse team at nearby St. Joseph’s Regional High School in Montvale, N.J. from 2003-2006.

Sage starred on the lacrosse field at Gettysburg College from 1995-1998, playing in the midfield and helping the Bullets reach the NCAA semifinals in both 1995 and 1997. He also played Centennial Conference championship teams in 1995 and 1998, and served as a team captain in 1998.

He graduated from Gettysburg with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science in the spring of 1998. He is currently working toward a master’s in business administration at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J.

Prior to his college career, Sage was an all-state lacrosse player at Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, N.J.

Sage is also coach, director and founder of Next Level Lacrosse and Gamerz Lacrosse located in Ridgewood, N.J.